Major Negligence in Mid-Day Meal: Dead Rat Found in Dal; 120 Children Go Hungry

Dead rat found in Alwar mid-day meal; 120 students go hungry. Parents demand NGO blacklisting as Rajasthan enforces zero-tolerance quality policies.

Alwar: A case of severe negligence in the mid-day meal scheme has surfaced at the Government Upper Primary School in Nangli village, under the Alawada Gram Panchayat of Alwar district.

Panic ensued on Monday when a dead rat was discovered in the lentils (dal) supplied by an NGO.
The meal was intended for distribution to 120 children. However, once the discovery was made, distribution was immediately halted, resulting in the students returning home hungry.

Parents have since demanded that the responsible NGO be blacklisted and that mandatory inspections at the school level be implemented before any food is served.

Sequence of Events

According to reports, the incident came to light as cooks opened the container of lentils to begin serving. Upon spotting the dead rat, they immediately stopped the distribution process, preventing the contaminated food from reaching the plates of over 120 children. School staff sequestered the container and recorded photographic and video evidence. The incident has sparked widespread outrage across the school community.

A Major Mishap Averted

Attempts were made to contact the Headmaster, Kundan Lal Meena, regarding the matter, but he did not answer his calls, further fueling the anger of the parents. Villagers noted that a serious health crisis could have unfolded had the negligence not been detected in time. They expressed deep concern over the quality of mid-day meals and demanded that the NGO be held accountable.

Zero Tolerance Policy for Milk

The State Government has recently implemented a zero-tolerance policy regarding the milk provided to children under the mid-day meal scheme. Any instances of expired, adulterated, or poor-quality milk will now lead to the filing of an FIR, the blacklisting of the supplier, and the immediate cancellation of their contract.
The Commissionerate of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme has issued strict instructions to districts, stating that the quantity, quality, and packaging of every milk consignment must be inspected on-site. In cases of suspicion, the milk must undergo laboratory testing, and distribution must be suspended until the report is received.
Official Responses
"A factual report has been sought from the Headmaster to determine where the lapse occurred. The situation will be clarified following the investigation." — Satpal Singh, PEO
"Necessary action will be taken against the NGO once the report is received." — Vishram Goswami, Block Education Officer